Process of purifying petrolatum



Patented June 21,- 1938 PROCESS OF PUBIFYI G PETROLA'I'UM Ferdinand W. Broth, New York. N.

thony Kinscl, Petrolla Ya 1L, and Anassignors to L.

Sonneborn Sons, Inc., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing.

Application November 21, 1935, Serial No.

8 Claims- (Cl. 196-21) is then passed through the bauxite under a pressure of about 30 pounds per square inch, and

This invention relates to the purification o! petrolatum.

An object of the invention is the purification. decolorization, and deodorization oi petrolatum a with simultaneous increase of filtration yield.

Another object is to provide a petrolatum which is resistant to discoloration when exposed to light. A

It is customary to purify petrolatum by a two stage filtration; first by filtration through fullers earth, or the like, to decolorize the petrolatum. This first stage filtration does'not always remove the flavor and taste-imparting substances, for example, in dark colored petrolatums, and they are usually removed by an additional filtration through bone char, or by treatment with steam. Petrolatum is also refined by treatment with sulphuric acid, but such treatment is destructive to many oi the essential constituents of the petrolatum. Petrolatums prepared by the above methods are more susceptible to discoloration upon exposure to light.

We have discovered that petrolatum can be decolorized and deodorized in a single stage filtration by passing the same in the liquid phase, for example, between 130 and 400 F., under pressure through bauxite. The bauxite may contain other compounds, such as iron compounds. We prefer to use a bauxite containing an initial- 30 ly high percentage of water of constitution, for example-the bauxite obtained from Arkansas, which contains about 29%-30% water of constitution; India, about 23.8%; Alabama, between 25% and 30%; Georgia, between 29.1%33.5%, etc. Other bauxites having a lower percentage of water of constitution may be used, but they will not give as good results.

Prior to its use, the bauxite is preferably activated, for example, by heating from 600 to 1600 F., and especially between 1000 and- 1200 F. Upon heating, bauxite does not sinter like other adsorbent materials, such as fullers earth,

and can be used practically indefinitely.

The following example illustrates one meth- 0d of carrying out our invention, but it is to be understood thatsuch method is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Bauxite containing a high percentage of water of constitution, for example, one containing about-30%, and :10 of 30 to 60 mesh, is introduced into a conventional kiln, and heated at between 1000 to 1200 F. The bauxite is then cooled to a temperature below about 300"" E, and transferred to a suitable filter. Molten petrolatum Iron a Penn- 5 sylvania crude, at a temperature of about250' F.,

' desirable properties, and

' to any method the melted petrolatum, tom of the filter column, of objectionable color, 01' petrolatum, when odor, or

emerging from the botis substantially free taste. The yield 5 the filtration is carried out under pressure, is up to 100% more than the yield of a filtration under similar conditions but at atmospheric pressure.

Our process does not require a second puriflcal0 tion'step which cuts down the yield and is a source of increased expense.-

The petrolatum filtered through the. bauxite retains all of its is characterized by a relatively high melting point, proper consistency, 15

and permanent homogeneity.

Another unique advantage inherent oi bauxite is that upon suitable in the use separation of the fines and the iron compounds after each successive regeneration, the regenerated bauxite maintains uniformly high emciency practically in-- definitely. In contrast, ordinary adsorbents of the fullers earth type become exhausted alter a relatively short cycle fines may be used for ample, in the We are not type, particle size, or purity of use. other purposes, for ex- 25 manufacture of alum.

to be limited to any particular The rejected of bauxite used,

to any specific method of activating the same,

bringing the petrolatum into the liquid phase, nor to any specific filtration pressure, or temperature.

The foregoing description is for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and it is, therefore, our intention that the invention be limited only by the appended claims or their equivalents, wherein we have endeavored to claim broadly all inherent novelty.

We claim:

1. The process of purifying petrolatum comprising filtering petrolatum at tween 130, and 400 F. through a temperature beactivated bauxite under a pressure in excess of atmospheric at which the yield of petrolatum is materially in excess of theyield when thesame stock is filtered at atmospheric pressure.

2. The process of purifying prising filtering pressure.

3. The process of purifying petrolatum competrolatum at about 250 F.

through activated bauxite under a pressure in excess of atmospheric at which the yield of petrolatum is materially in excess when the same stock is filtered at of the yield petrolatum comtemperature beatmospheric tween 600 and 1600 F to thereby activate the same and filtering petrolatum at a temperature between 130 and 400 F. through said activated prising filtering petrolatum at a temperature between 130 and 400 F. through activated bauxite under a pressure of at least 30 pounds per square inch in excess of atmospheric.

6. The process of purifying petrolatum com-' prising filtering petrolatum at about 250 F. through activated bauxite under a pressure or at least pounds per square inch in excess 01' atmospheric.

7. The process of purifying petrolatum comprising heating bauxite to a temperature between 600 and 1600 F. to thereby activate the same and filtering petrolatum at a temperature between and 400 F. through said activated bauxite under a pressure 01' at least 30 pounds per square inch in excess 01' atmospheric.

8. The process 01' purifying petrolatum comand filtering petrolatum at about 250 F. through said activated bauxite under a pressure 01' at least 30 pounds per square inch in excess of atmospheric.

FERDINAND W. BR-E'I'H. ANTHONY KINSEL. 

